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German government sees no preconditions for Normandy Four meeting in Berlin

There is no connection between the humanitarian pause in Syria initiated by Russia and the new Normandy Quartet meeting, according to the German government spokesman

© AP Photo/Michael Sohn

BERLIN, October 19. /TASS/. There is no connection between the humanitarian pause in Syria initiated by Russia and the new Normandy Quartet meeting in Berlin, German government spokesman Steffen Seibert stated at a briefing in Germany’s capital.

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"I don’t see any connection," Seibert said. "The chancellor did not set any preconditions for the meeting." At the same time, the government spokesman noted that the eight-hour pause announced by Russia was not enough. "We certainly welcome the respite in airstrikes as the first step on the way to a sustainable ceasefire across Syria," Seibert added.

According to him, spreading the ceasefire to all of the country’s territory should be particularly aimed at preventing the evacuation of the East Aleppo’s population. "The ceasefire is necessary so there is no need to force the civilians out of Aleppo," Seibert said.

He went on to say that the Syrian crisis would be discussed on Wednesday in Berlin at a meeting between German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russian President Vladimir Putin and French leader Francois Hollande, after the Normandy Quartet summit on Ukraine was over.

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Ukraine crisis Foreign policy Syrian conflict

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